Memo from CalYOUTH: Early Findings on the Impact of Extended Foster Care on Foster Youths’ Postsecondary Education Enrollment and Persistence
Few studies have considered whether extending foster care beyond age 18 affects achievement in higher education. This study relied on a large sample of foster youth in California child welfare records, including those in care before and after the state passed legislation permitting extended care. Findings indicate that extended foster care increased the likelihood that youth supervised by the public child welfare system would enroll in college by age 21. However, the study found no evidence that extended care increased the number of semesters completed or persistence in higher education. This could be linked to the short period since enactment of extended care or other factors, and researchers should continue exploring this topic to ensure transition-age foster youth receive the educational support they need to succeed in college.